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ON OUR MINDS
Brought to you this week by Ellen Miller Gilcrest, our director of creative strategy who throws a mean Halloween party.
Putting their money where their mouths are
CECP’s annual Giving in Numbers report is out, and with it, some good news: total corporate giving increased 11% between 2016 and 2018. In the age of purpose-driven marketing and CEO activism, this is an encouraging indicator that companies aren’t just talking about social change — they’re investing in it. (That said, the most-funded causes, including education and health, aren’t typically the type of hot button issues that we read about in the front pages.) Nearly two-thirds of the companies surveyed said that STEM was an important social issue, which isn’t surprising, given the business imperative to build a strong technology workforce. More analysis here.
A Most Powerful controversy
I remember the chaos that erupted on Columbia University’s campus in 2007 after the school invited Iran’s President Ahmadinejad to speak (a Barnard student at the time, I was pretty proud of my sign: ‘We’re glad you’re here, so we can tell you you’re an a-hole’). Do people you find morally reprehensible deserve the opportunity to speak their truth on stage? Does it matter which stage? It’s a debate we see over and over again, and one that reared its head this week when word got out that Kirstjen Nielsen — the former homeland security chief who enforced Trump’s child separation policy — was set to speak at Fortune’s coveted Most Powerful Women Summit. Speakers including dream hampton and Hillary Clinton cancelled plans to appear on stage. Kudos to PBS NewsHour reporter Amna Nawaz for asking Nielsen tough questions, though we were disheartened to hear some of the answers. Elsewhere at the summit, executives spoke about the need to move beyond making the case for diversity and focus on actively creating a culture of “belonging.” Read highlights here.
Why we need (Great Big) Stories
Refugee crises and immigration debates remain a constant in the news cycle and political discourse. Other than becoming numb to these discussions, people tend to react in one of two ways: by dehumanizing refugees or by feeling bad for them. Actress and immigrant Minnie Driver partnered with Great Big Story to tell a different story. As Luma Mufleh, the CEO and founder of the Fugees Family (and full disclosure, my sister-in-law), explains: “I think it’s a very dangerous narrative to feel sorry for refugees. Because the mere fact that they are here, shows how strong they are.” This powerful video playlist curated by Driver is well worth your time, and a testament to the power of storytelling — even a 3-minute clip — to humanize the most important issues of our time.
ON OUR RADAR
Read:
- Procter & Gamble got the memo: not all people who menstruate are women. We’re always (pun intended) glad to see companies evolve their packaging and products to be more inclusive.
- Well, this is quite a spicy impeachment story! In the age of brand activism, perhaps it’s not all that surprising that the second-biggest spender on Facebook impeachment ads, following Trump, is a corporation.
- Rebecca Krisel, the always-impressive McPherson Strategies account executive and doctoral student, published this important piece on how consent-based programs ensure the safety of women and the LGBTQ+ community.
Cheer:
- Alexis Ohanian, Reddit co-founder, continues to talk to the media and Congress about the importance of parental leave and paternity leave in particular. It’s refreshing (and overdue) to see a man so vocal on this issue, and we hope to see more follow his lead.
- NatGeo’s November Issue, Women: A Century of Change, is written and photographed exclusively by women.
- Congratulations to McPherson friend and Hello Neighbor founder Sloane Davidson on the launch of the Hello Neighbor Network, a national collaboration of refugee organizations. The nonprofit sector needs more opportunities to share insights and learn from one another about what’s working.
Laugh:
- Our team cherished this week’s news about Mitt Romney’s secret Twitter identity, Pierre Delectco, and his tweeting antics. Stay tuned for pictures of the Halloween costume.
- Also funny.
Subscribe:
- Dave Pell is one of the smartest writers on the Internet. Sign up for his newsletter, NextDraft, for a daily dose of curated stories.
- After hearing Aminatou Sow speak at The Wing Chicago last week, I immediately listened to her podcast, Call Your Girlfriend. If you haven’t yet, subscribe! And if you’re in DC this weekend, you can catch the live performance of the podcast.
Go:
- The Atlantic’s annual Power of Purpose Summit, which explores how business can be a force for good, is slated for November 19 in NYC. (Let us know if you’re going — Susan will be on stage, along with our friend Holly Gordon of Participant Media.)
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